Sometimes there is a need to quickly have a bite or want to treat household members with something tasty. In such situations, you should use the recipe for potato pancakes. This dish is not only tasty and hearty, but also easy to prepare. In this article, we will tell you how to cook potato pancakes.
What are potato pancakes
We all know potato pancakes, many love this dish since childhood. The taste of hot, fragrant fritters, covered with a delicious crust and served with sour cream, can be remembered for a long time. In fact, potato pancakes are the same ordinary pancakes. The difference is that their main component is not flour, but potatoes. There are many recipes on how to cook potato pancakes, but one detail always remains the same - they are prepared from grated, raw potato tubers. It is also allowed to replace boiled vegetables or mashed potatoes.
Where did they come from
Draniki is a popular national dish of Belarusian cuisine. However, they are loved by neighbors - Russians and Ukrainians and residents of other countries. The old Russian word “to tear up” led to the name “draniki”. There was no grater before, and the potatoes were rubbed / torn with a pointed board.
There is a version that potato pancakes appeared in Europe in the 1830s. Then the Polish culinary specialist Jan Šytler published the recipe in the printed publication “Kukhár neuvany nábuchany” He, in turn, found this dish in the German cuisine and decided to share it with others. Many peoples were delighted with the recipe for these pancakes, especially Belarusians. Most likely, because this country of theirs is famous for its potatoes. Interestingly, how do we cook potato pancakes now?
The main ingredient is potatoes
For the preparation of potato pancakes, it is important to choose the right potato. The main condition - the starch content in it should be increased. By the way, this is the main difference between Belarusian tubers.
It is better to pay attention to large ripe potatoes with a slightly rough peel and a yellow core. Such vegetables affect the taste and help ready-made potato pancakes to keep in shape.
Young potatoes should not be taken, since there is little starch in it. If you are not sure if it is enough in the purchased tubers, you can supplement the potato mass with two tablespoons of starch powder.
How to rub tubers
Peeled potatoes should be grated on the shallow side of the grater alternately with onions. It is allowed to use a meat grinder or food processor. But potato pancakes will be tastier if rubbed with their hands.
Important Tips
At first it may seem that this simple dish does not contain any unforeseen difficulties. But it is very important to know how to cook potato pancakes, how to prevent the darkening of potato mass and how to get a tender dish.
We want to bring to your attention 7 recommendations for the preparation of potato pancakes:
- With the help of onions, you can make the dish tastier and more magnificent, as well as prevent the darkening of the wet mass.
- Do not worry about the fritters being unprepared. It is necessary to hold each side of the potato pancake until a crust forms. In these few minutes they will be well cooked. If you want, you can pour a small amount of water into the pan and simmer with the lid closed.
- Would you like a beautiful golden crust? Be sure to heat the dishes well before spreading the mass.
- In order not to eat excess oil with potato pancakes, soak them with a paper towel after removing from the pan.
- You already cooked potato pancakes, but flour made them like rubber? Instead, take starch, which will make the finished dish soft and tender. It will also help promote the conversion of an excessively liquid consistency into a thicker one.
- How to cook potato pancakes so that they do not remain raw? They should be half immersed in sunflower oil in a pan. By the way, it is worth giving preference to cast-iron utensils.
- Thanks to pepper, coriander, thyme, fennel and other seasonings, the dish can become more aromatic and tasty.
- No need to accumulate potato mass and keep it in your own juice. It is advisable to immediately put the flesh of one potato in a strainer, and then rub the remaining tubers. So the liquid will not come into contact with the mass for a long time, which otherwise can contribute to the darkening of the composition. Let the juice drain through a colander on its own. No need to squeeze it out on purpose, because the potato pancakes will not be juicy and tasty.
Classic recipe
How to cook potato pancakes, keeping traditions? In this recipe, the composition includes the most common products that are found in any refrigerator. It is so easy to prepare that it will be able to beginner chefs.
Required Products: 300 grams of potato; 2 eggs; 50 grams of flour; three onion heads; 20 grams of sour cream; salt, seasonings and sunflower oil for frying.
How to cook:
- Peel potatoes and onions, grate them. The appeared liquid is not needed - pour it out.
- Beat eggs separately, add salt and spices.
- Mix potatoes, flour, onions and eggs until a uniform mass is formed, then add sour cream.
- Heat the pan, then pour oil. Divide the dough into parts and put there.
- Keep on each side until a golden crust forms.
Diet without flour
If you want to know how to cook potato pancakes, and want to get a low-calorie version of the Belarusian dish, then eliminate flour from the composition and bake them in the oven. This is the ideal solution for any diet. However, you should not eat too many potato pancakes, as potatoes are rich in carbohydrates. Unusual pancakes are perfect for breakfast, they are able to give a person energy for many hours.
What you need: 200 grams of potatoes; chicken egg; onion head; salt, seasoning and sunflower oil.
How to cook:
- Grate potatoes and onions.
- Add the egg to the resulting mixture. If it is too liquid, you can make it thicker with the help of semolina or bran.
- It is necessary to heat the pan and fry potato pancakes on each side (preferably fry in olive oil).
- It is worth giving up sour cream or sauces, since you are aimed at a dish with a minimum number of calories.
No eggs
Wanted to cook tender pancakes, but in the refrigerator the testicles ran out? Do not despair, you can do without them! Pay attention to this photo recipe how to cook potato pancakes.
Here's what you need: 700 grams of potatoes; carrot; 75 grams of flour; salt, spices, sunflower oil.
Cooking process:
- Peel and grate potatoes and carrots (it is permissible to grind using a food processor).
- Mix the salt and let it brew for 10 minutes.
- Pour flour and spices.
- Put the pan on low heat, add oil.
- Spoon the mixture into a preheated pan.
- We prepare potato pancakes and wait until they acquire an amber color.
Draniki in the oven
Of the products you will need: 8 medium potatoes; 3 chicken eggs; 1 onion head; 3 large spoons of flour; salt, spices, sunflower oil; greens and sour cream for decoration.
Cooking:
- Wash, peel and grate the potatoes finely.
- Pour excess liquid from the resulting mass and salt.
- Add onion grated.
- Pour in beaten eggs.
- Season with salt and spice again.
- Pour flour in small portions, knead a homogeneous mass (potato dough should be soft, but not liquid).
- Preheat the oven, grease a baking sheet with oil, sprinkle with breading if desired.
- Using a spoon, form pancakes and put them in the oven for 9 minutes.
- Take out a baking sheet, turn the potato pancakes over and put back in for 6-8 minutes.
With mushrooms
If you like mushrooms, but don’t know the recipe for cooking potato pancakes with mushrooms, then don’t hesitate, but feel free to go to the kitchen to experiment. Raw, dried and even canned mushrooms are suitable for potato pancakes.
What you need from the products: 8 medium potatoes; 1 onion; garlic clove; 200 grams of mushrooms; 1 testicle; salt, pepper, herbs.
How to do:
- Peel the potatoes, wash them well and grate on a coarse grater.
- Leave for 10-15 minutes to get juice, which must be drained.
- Add garlic and onion to the mass, which must be finely chopped. If you put greens, then chop it too.
- Then add the egg, salt and pepper.
- Care should be taken in advance to prepare mushrooms. Rinse the canned ones well, dry them - soak them until they soften and cook twice in different water, and cook fresh ones in different waters. After these procedures, add chopped mushrooms to the potato mass.
- Put the pan on the fire, pour oil and heat.
- Put future potato pancakes with a large spoon. Fry each side for about 5 minutes.
- Then close the lid and reduce the heat - so complete the cooking.
From boiled potatoes and cheese
Cooking potato pancakes according to a photo recipe. We will need the following products: a dozen small potato tubers; 3 testicles; 250 grams of cheese (it is better to take a hard variety); 5 large spoons of flour; butter (a small piece is enough); salt, pepper, any greens.
Recipe:
- Wash, peel and boil the potatoes.
- After cooking, cool and grate the tubers.
- Melt the butter in the microwave. Add eggs (beat them beforehand), grated cheese, spices, salt and herbs.
- The final step is to add chopped potatoes.
- Mix the whole composition.
- Put a spoonful of mugs or ovals from thick dough on a heated pan with oil.
Unusual recipe with crab meat
If you add crab meat to potato pancakes as an experiment, you can get an unusual taste and amazing brightness of the dish. Such an original filling can surprise and please the household or guests. So how to cook potato pancakes with crab meat?
Required Products: 4 Potatoes; 1 onion; 2 garlic cloves; 100 grams of crab meat (or sticks); 2 testicles; 4 large spoons of flour; a bunch of greenery; salt pepper.
Cooking:
- Chop greens
- Cut the crab meat into small cubes or grate.
- Grate the onion and tubers; pour excess juice from there.
- Add eggs, greens and crab meat to the potato mixture. Salt and pepper.
- Fry both sides until golden brown.
What to eat with
In order to feel the whole taste palette of potato pancakes, you need to not only know the recipe for proper cooking, but also be able to serve them. What are potato pancakes combined with and what to eat them with? The answer is simple - with any product!
The most popular potato dressing is sour cream and sour cream sauces. If you want a sharper sauce, add chopped garlic to it. You can season the sauce with fresh finely chopped herbs.
No less common is mushroom sauce. It can be prepared at home. To do this, pour 2 large tablespoons of flour into the heated oil and keep on fire until the color of caramel is acquired. Then pour the mushroom broth (two circles) there and let it boil. At the end, put salt, pepper and herbs.
In addition, potato pancakes combine well with thick apple or cranberry sauce, and muffins with minced meat - with homemade ketchup.
Potato pancakes can become a quick, satisfying and nutritious substitute for a full dinner. If there are several potatoes, eggs, onions and sour cream in the kitchen, you can feed your family. Due to its simplicity and accessibility, the dish is to the liking of bachelors, students and very busy people. In addition, potato pancakes are attractive because they can be experimented with - include new ingredients in the recipe and then try unusual tastes. We hope our article was useful, and now you know how to cook potato pancakes.